Direct Democracy or The “Old Boys Network”?

Turmoil on campuses, Yale included, is not just a feature of students’ demands.  Enter the Alumni, wanting a voice on the governing board of trustees (aka “the Yale Corporation”) that bears ultimate responsibility for running the University.  At issue is the nomination process — how will the candidates for “Alumni Fellow” be selected?

There are two paths for an alum to get on the ballot — choice by the “Nominating Committee” or via petition signed by 4,394 or more alumni.

The process to select the final candidates for the election in early 2021 puts both these processes — Nominating Committe and Petition — into sharp contrast, especially because there are two candidates mounting credible petition campaigns.  And what’s at stake is not only the choice of candidates but the transparency of the process itself.

A Tale Of Two Candidates

Thomas is a climate policy leader and political strategist who contributed to the climate plans heralded as the “gold standard” of climate policy for the 2020 presidential primary cycle. Maggie cares deeply about democracy, representation, and intentional, thoughtful policy to enact positive change.  See her campaign website for more information and how to sign her petittion.

Maggie reports that she’s gotten 3,260 signatures so far … about 3/4ths the way to the goal.  If you want to support her, the due date is end end of this month!

Victor was the 25th United States Ambassador to Poland. He was elected mayor of Knoxville, TN in 1987 and served until 2003, making him the city’s longest serving mayor. He also served six years as a Tennessee state representative and nine years as a state senator. See his campaign website for more information and how to sign her petittion.

On September 1st, Victor reported that he’s collected over 5,000 signatures.  So he’s cleared that hurdle.  Kudos to Tom Hood, for getting word circulated in July.

The Nominating Committee and Transparency

There is nothing transparent about the nomination process for Alumni Fellows.

• Membership on the Nominating Committee — which is not even a legally constituted committee of the board! — is opaque.
• how alumni even come into consideration by the Nominatng Committee is opaque
• the selection criteria used by the Committee (beyond airy commitments to “highly accomplished alumni, best able to serve the University,” complementarity and diversity) is opaque
• the number of candidates offered for election has been limited to two for some unknown reason
• the candidates have been advised not to offer any statement as to their positions on matters facing the universty.
• the candidates may not campaign, or even give interviews!

As stated in a recent article in the Yale Daily News

In past years, the University has blocked attempts to interview Corporation candidates, and according to Vice President for Institutional Development Martha Schall, it has been “a long-standing practice” to elect alumni fellows based solely on the information provided to alumni by the University.

“The Alumni Fellow Nominating Committee selects candidates based on their ability to bring perspective and expertise to advance the university’s mission — and not based on their stance on any particular issue or representation of a particular constituency or viewpoint,” Schall wrote in an email to the News.

Both Victor Ashe and Maggie Thomas have stated, that as a matter of process if they are elected, they will press for a more transparent, more democratic and frankly more responsive Alumni Fellow election process.  What do you think, Power to the [Alumni] People?  Or the existing “gentlemen’s” process?

The two candidates differ on their substantive agendas.  Ashe has campaigned on a platform of administrative reform.  Thomas wants Yale to move more aggressively to address climate, both operationally and in divestment decisions.